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Schools begin budget challenge; consider salary cuts
By SUSAN WORLEY/Star-Tribune Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 9:02 AM EST
Pittsylvania County Schools is confronting a potential $4.5 million shortfall in state funds for next year's budget.
The budget committee met Thursday night and looked at possible cuts proposed by school administrators.
"The scope of this budget proposal is far reaching and cuts deeply into the heart of Pittsylvania County School System," said Superintendent James McDaniel.
"The possible cuts are ways of potentially balancing the budget while saving jobs and maintaining programs. I'll be honest with you. I don't think you can do both," he added.
The superintendent also warned the committee that in the past, they have been prepaying expenses of Piedmont Regional Governor's School, workman's compensation, and property insurance with monies left over in the current year's budget.
If there is insufficient leftover money at the end of this fiscal year to pay these expenses, it will add $960,000 to the deficit, bringing it up to $5.5 million.
The committee reviewed a long list of possible cuts before deciding to consider a 1-percent or 2-percent pay cut across the board to avoid hurting programs and eliminating jobs.
Schools employ more than 1,500 employees. Every 1 percent cut is expected to save approximately $575,000.
Administrators looked at the Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP), health insurance and mowing contracts.
ERIP actually saves money by not having to hire substitutes and employees retire earlier, costing less.
The 10 schools which have mowing contracts no longer have mowing equipment because it has been transferred to other schools as replacement for worn out equipment.
To eliminate mowing contracts would mean purchasing new equipment and needing employees to mow-resulting in little savings.
The list of possible cuts placed on the table for consideration included:
Absorbing through attrition (retirement, resigning) 28 classified and certified positions.
Eliminating the director of special education position, former superintendent ERIP payment, and assistant athletic and assistant band directors.
Eliminating high school yearbook and newspaper supplements, lead director supplements and young farmers and young homemakers supplements.
Reducing 12-month, full time employee contracts by two days, use school staff as substitutes, reducing band directors to 10-month contracts.
Reducing family life and gifted teachers, and head football coaches to 10-month contracts. They are currently on 11-month contracts.
Cutting incentive programs such as teacher mentors, tuition assistance, lead teachers, employee of the week gifts, signing bonuses, school board vehicles, and 50 percent of travel expenses.
Cuts in instructional programs under consideration include Stanford 10 tests, character education, reducing PALS tutoring 50 percent, eliminating payment of fees for advanced placement classes, cutting SOL remediation 50 percent, cutting planned increases in instructional supplies 50 percent, reducing extra class periods in high schools 50 percent and eliminating the alternative school and transportation to the alternative school.
Also suggested was eliminating co-curricular and enrichment field trips unless schools pay 100 percent of cost. The exception will be Virginia High School League competitions.
Eliminating Cortez Math programs, and cutting about a third of monies for gifted education, fine arts, foreign language and physical education were on the list.
Other cuts suggested were in the state remedial program, art/music, 25 percent of career technical education monies for grades six and seven, SOL materials, library materials, tests for higher standard interactive achievement and graduation at Averett's Grant Center unless schools pay the cost.
Cuts have been suggested in maintenance purchased services.
Savings may be realized by retaining a four-day summer work week, reduction in heating fuel prices, and eliminating after school use of facilities by the community.
Transportation cuts being considered are bus leases, transportation fuel, and transportation capital outlay.
Other suggestions included cutting 50 percent of band and 25 percent of athletics allocations, reducing coaching/academic supplements by 10 percent, reductions in IT funds and reducing career and technical education contracts of 205 and 210 days to 10 months.
"This right here hurts some people a whole lot and some people it won't touch," said board member Morris Stowe. "It is not fair and I would like it to be fair to everyone.
"Most businesses are cutting benefits, not paying retirement or health insurance to save," added Stowe.
Board member Charles Miller Jr. suggested looking at an across the board pay cut of 1 percent or 2 percent.
"People will have to make their thoughts known to the governing body and demand they make a (funding) decision in the best interest of parents, taxpayers and students," said Miller.
"These recommendations are well thought out, but my reasoning is across the board cuts may prompt people into action and could be a catalyst for them to go up on the hill (to supervisors)."
Board Chairman Calvin Doss asked about cutting teacher's 200-day contracts a day or two like they have done in other states to save money.
The superintendent said state law sets a teacher's contract at 200 days.
"Teachers actually work only 192 days of the 200-day contract," he added.
The other eight days are for home visits and summer programs or conferences.
"I don't know what will hurt us worse, keeping all of our staff with less pay or laying off staff," said Stowe.
The superintendent concluded his thoughts by saying, "Let's face it. What we are looking at here is year after year after year of being funded at the minimum and it has finally come back to haunt us. The supervisors have cut us and we have made do.
"And next year, God help us," he said looking at Assistant Superintendent Don Johnson and asking, "Am I off base?"
To which Johnson replied, "This year too."
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CJ wrote on Feb 4, 2010 10:50 AM:
Getting rid of Alternative School? Why not? Let's make the schools more dangerous for the general population! It's either that or send the troublemakers to W. W. Moore.
Field trips? How can you cut from zero? Character education? Let's cut that! What good is it doing anyway? And what's this about "extra" class periods in the high schools? What extra?
The bottom line is that we cannot balance the budget on the backs of our teachers and children! Get with the program folks! Start cutting at the TOP. Do we need all those Superintendents and assistants? Do we need all of the cars they use? Cut band funding? Have you seen the bands lately? Cut anymore and we won't have enough to get a band between the four high schools!
Supervisors, Board members, and those who are in charge - I have a suggestion: do not cut any amount from the classrooms. Make cuts anywhere else, but do not balance your budget on the backs of the kids and teachers. You want good teachers? Pay them a wage where they aren't eligible for government aid. Pay them enough to where they aren't eligible for free or reduced lunches for their kids. This is an embarrassment and directly reflects on how this county values education.
And while you're at it - get a clue! "